Category: Cocktails

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March Cocktail

March Cocktail

March Cocktail
6 oz Ventura Spirits “Haymaker” Vodka
2 oz fresh lime juice -save rind to moisten glass rims
1-2 T Ojai Jalapeño Jelly
10-20 fresh mint leaves
Ice
Sugar -for glass rims
__________
1 can of “Langers” organic ginger sparkling water
__________
Fresh mint
Edible flower
__________
1. Juice limes
2. Moisten glass rims, then run through sugar
3. In a cocktail shaker: combine ingredients except bubbly water
4. Use a knife or muddler to incorporate Jelly & mint
5. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds
6. Pour into sugar rimmed cocktail glasses & top off with “Langers” organic ginger sparkling water, or your favorite
7. Garnish with mint & an edible flower -I used homegrown arugula flowers

ENJOY!

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Field + Fort


2580 Lillie Avenue Summerland, CA. (805) 770-7897                                          Great restaurant & shop!
“To-Go” orders & safe pick up during Covid.
You’ll find Ojai Habanero Apricot Jam on the menu, as well as for sale in the shop!      photo credit: Field + Fort

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ojai Jalapeno Jelly, Apricot Habanero Jam, and Habanero Jelly stacked on a table outdoors

photo credit: Amber Dolyak (805) 245-1274

 

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Sunshine in a jar

Best Seller: Ojai Habanero Apricot Jam- Sun ripened, California grown apricots + Habanero Peppers. Sweet yet savory. Try it on toast, dipped in coffee. Excellent on waffles or cheesecake. Great in cocktails too.

 

 

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Taste of Cuba

cuba, cocktail, mint, mojito, muddle
Wet your whistle with this refreshing cocktail-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mojito

This refreshing cocktail recipe is from “Taste of Cuba”
& said to be “the original authentic recipe from Havana, Cuba”.

1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime (2 ounces)
4 mint leaves
1 sprig of mint
Havana Club white Rum (2 ounces)
2 ounces club soda
ice (preferably crushed)

Place mint leaves into a “collins” glass & squeeze lime over it.
You’ll want about two ounces of lime juice.

Add powdered sugar, & gently muddle mint into lime juice & sugar.
Add ice, then add rum, & stir. Top off with club soda.
Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.
Serves 1

A nice addition; run a little Ojai Jalapeño Jelly around the glass-rim, then roll the rim in
a pretty cocktail sugar. Sometimes I do 1/2 of the rim in lemon sugar & the other 1/2 in lime salt.

→enjoy

 

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Taste of Ojai

[frame]Taste of Ojai 2014[/frame] This event just keeps getting better!
A big shout-out to Charee Edwards for coordinating the event, & to the Ojai Rotary Club!
[frame]TasteofOjai[/frame]
As always the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa Resort hosted Taste of Ojai -2014.
The Indian-Summer conditions were spectacular, as October often presents in our little Nest-
The music was great & the ever-smooth Alquimia Organic Tequila divine!
People danced, laughed, & enjoyed tasty items from; Surf Brewery, Bliss Frozen Yogurt, Suzanne’s Cuisine, Feast Bistro,
& of course the Jelly Gals were serving up Ojai Habanero Apricot Jam over Cheese Cake!
Mark your calendars for Taste of Ojai 2015- it’s well worth attending!

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Ojai Habanero Apricot Jam

Sweet yet Savory

MY NEW FAVORITE! ♥♥♥ it!

Ripe California Apricots Blended with Habanero Peppers

Decadent on cheesecake or over ice cream-
Remarkable on bagels or waffles-
Jam-Packed with flavor-Big cheese pleaser!

Transformative on chicken-

A perfect addition to nearly everything…

Heal Level 2

 

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Ojai Habanero Apricot Jam

Ojai Habanero Apricot Jam will be on shelves later this month!

 

cheesecake
Delicious on Cheesecake!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

→Great on toast, bagels, waffles

→Tasty in your PB&J

→Serve as a “SATAY” dipping sauce on chicken;
Mix 1/2 peanut butter & 1/2 Jam

→Perk up your cheese plate!

I’ll post suggestions, recipes & where to purchase-
It’s always available online, but lets get it in your area!

enjoy!

 

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Blood Orange Tequila Sunset Cocktail

Ojai Blood Oranges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What you’ll need;
ice
1 1/2 oz GOOD tequila (per person)
4 oz Tangerine Juice (per person)
1/2 oz blood orange syrup (per person)

The syrup is easy to make. You’ll have extra for the next time you’re craving this cocktail.
It stores well in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Blood Orange Syrup

4 c. fresh squeezed Blood Orange juice
2c. sugar

Combine ingredients in a saucepan, then simmer for about 15 minutes, reducing liquid to half. Set aside & let cool.

The trick to making this beautiful Blood Orange Tequila Sunrise Cocktail is to add the ingredients in a specific order, creating striations of color. First in the glass goes the ice, then the tequila, the tangerine juice, and lastly the blood orange syrup. Slowly drizzle the syrup over the back of a spoon to allow the syrup to make it’s way to the bottom of the glass. Give it a slight stir, and you’re finished-
Garnish with a curl of zest & make a toast!

Serves well with a gaggle of giggling friends, telling stories, creating new ones & watching the Ojai “Pink Moment” “Sunset” disappear together-

enjoy!

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Chronic Cellars, Paso Robles

What a fun place to taste GREAT wines- They even have a pool table in the middle of their tasting room!
Chronic Cellars is on the outskirts of Paso Robles, CA. -on the way to Lake Nacimiento
Their general theme; FUN! Zany! & Dia de los Muertos characters throughout- All wine names are a play-on-words My favorite; “Sofa King Bueno“

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Pickled Asparagus

 

 

Makes 5-6 quarts

Surprisingly crunchy & delicious like a great pickle can be-
Eat alone, cut them into your chopped salad, serve with cheese,
or use as a ‘swizzle stick’ in your next Bloody Mary!

Wash 6 quart-size jars
Sterilize jars & lids

Wash all ingredients-
You’ll need;
Asparagus- about 5-6 clusters
Break or cut off asparagus ends, allowing asparagus to stand in jar; about 3/4″ from top.
18 sprigs of fresh dill – 3 per jar
12 cloves fresh garlic – 2 per jar
6 small Peppers – 1 per jar (Habanero, Serrano, or Jalapeño; dried or fresh)

Fill clean, sterilized  jars with raw ingredients; asparagus, dill, garlic & Peppers.

In medium sized pot, boil until salt is dissolved:
6 c. water
2 c. apple cider vinegar
6 T. kosher salt

Using a ladle, fill jars with hot liquid-
Always remember to leave about 1/2″ at the top, as per canning instructions.

Seal jars.
When cooled, store jars in refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.
(you can also make with fresh green beans instead of asparagus)

enjoy!

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Zaca Mesa Winery Event

I ♥ Zaca Mesa Winery!
Their team is kind & gracious, not to mention the amazing wines & beautiful property-
I’ll be in the main tasting room, getting sippers sold on Pepper Jelly; WHERE HEAT MEETS SWEET!
Saturday & Sunday, MAY 26th & 27th; Memorial Day Weekend-
Please make the scenic drive & join us for a family-friendly weekend of events including guided star gazing Saturday night!  Details here

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Muddled March Madness

Refreshing Cocktail

10 ounces Habanero Infused Tequila (previous recipe in Jelly Blog)
5 oz Fresh Meyer’s Lemon Juice
(I like to roll the whole lemon, juice it then throw in at least part of the remains in the shaker for added zest flavor)
3 ounces Agave Nectar
Muddled Basil; 20 leaves
(fresh mint, or lemon grass are great too)

Shaken till herbs are bruised
 & serve on a stem-

Garnish each glass with:
sugared rim
1 thin lemon zest curl
paper thin slice of Habanero Pepper or Mediterranean Apricot,
depending on your crowd.

enjoy!

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March Spirits


This month try Infusing Spirits!
I suggest you wear gloves-

Makes 750 ml.
Ingredients:
3 Habanero Peppers
1-750 ml. bottle of Tequila or Vodka (don’t be cheap!)

Instructions:
Slice off the Habanero stems & discard.  Cut each Pepper in half lengthwise.
Use the end of a potato peeler to remove the seeds.
Don’t rub your eyes or your ANYTHING… these Peppers are hot!

Create your ‘infusion’ in the original liquor bottle. You may need to drink a ‘shot’ to make room for the
Chile Peppers…  Add the Habanero’s. Seal the bottle. Store in a cool, dark place for 3 days.

At the end of the third day, strain a ‘shot’ of the infused liquor through double layers of cheesecloth into a small glass.  If you are happy with the level of infused heat, strain the remaining liquid, then return the infused liquor to its original bottle.
It will keep beautifully in a cool, dark place that is until you drink it all!

I suggest you store the leftover Habanero Peppers to add to something special like
a Chicken Mole Pablano…  I’ll practice on my Mole Sauce, then blog it for y’all.

enjoy!